Washer feed means for assembly machine



Dec. 18, 1956 M. H. NIELSEN 2,774,084

WASHER FEED mus FOR 'ASSEMBLY 1110111111:

Original Filed Oct. 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

WASHER FEED MEANS FOR ASSEMBLY MACHINE Original Filed Oct. ll, 1951 2 Sheets-Shet 2 w a 0 I! mzv-z fi w I A 4 .4 4 14? J63 1 W Jfi' W e6 7 .95

INVENTOR.

United States Patent if) F WASHER FEED IWEANS FOR ASSEMBLY MACHINE Moritz H. Nielsen, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Illinois Tool Works, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Original application October 11,1951, Serial No. 250,914,

nowPatentNo. 2,711,550, dated June 28, 1955. Divided and this application February 16, 1955, Serial No. 488,646

6 Claims. (Cl. 10-169) This invention is concerned generally with the feeding of annuli or washers and more particularly with a machine for and a method of feeding flanged washers for assembly with flanged nuts.

This application forms a division of a copending application, now U. S. Patent 2,711,550, to which reference may be had for details on features of the apparatus not forming a part of this invention.

The present invention contemplates the feeding of skirted, conical, or other washers having protuberances from the body portion, and hereinafter generically termed flanged washers, from a random mass over a predetermined path with the washer flanges all oriented in a given direction for assembly with complementary nut elements.

The broad object of this invention is to provide an improved machine and method for selecting and feeding flanged lock washers for assembly with complementary nut elements.

An object of this invention is to provide a new or improved means and method for selecting and feeding flanged washers with the flanges, skirts or other protuberances of all the washers oriented in a given direction.

A more particular object of this invention is to provide a means for and method of selecting and feeding flanged washers by continuously conveying a succession of such washers over an inclined path from a random mass and maintaining washers with their flanges upwardly directed on said path while gravitationally returning washers having their flanges downwardly directed to said random mass.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means for and method of conveying flanged lock washers from a random mass over a predetermined path along a plane surface for selection according to the direction of orientation of the washer flanges and then to continue conveying the washers while supported in such manner as to insure proper settling of nut elements in aligned juxtaposition on top of the washers.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of an assembly machine embodying the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of the machine;

Figure 3 is a top view of the washer hopper;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure-3;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 and showing;

a washer in inverted position;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-7 of Figure 3; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the deflzctor fingzr of t e washer hcpper.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 for a general underice standing of the machine and apparatus, there is shown a main frame or pedestal 30. An upstanding bracket 32 on the frame 30 supports a nut element supply mechanism including a nut hopper 34. The nut hopper 34 may be of any type well known in the art adapted to deliver a succession of nuts or nut elements 36 to an inclined nut element supply chute or track 38. As a specific example, the nut hopper 34 includes a casing or cover 49 adapted to contain a random mass of nut elements at the lower end thereof. A rotatable frusto conical ring 42 is driven by suitable gearing 44 from an electric motor 46 carried on a motor mounting bracket 48 supported by the bracket 32. Grooves 37 in the ring pick up nut elements from the random mass and convey them upwardly past a retainer flange 39 to a stub track 41 which delivers them to a nut selector 43 with the flanges either up or down.

The nut feed chute or track 38 receives nut elements from the selector 43 with the nut flanges downwardly directed and feeds the nut elements to a washer supply mechanism including washer hopper 50 where the nuts are brought into aligned juxtaposition with a succession of washers. The aligned nut elements and washers then pass down a feed chute or track 52 to a staking mechanism 54 where the nut element flanges are swaged outwardly to retain the nut elements and washers in assembled relation.

The washer hopper The washer hopper 50 comprises a housing or casing 56 (Figs. 1 and 4) supported by a bracket 58 (Fig. 1) on the main frame or support 30. A stub shaft 60 extends upwardly from a boss62 on the bottom wall of the casing 56. A worm wheel 64 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 60 within the housing 56. An upstanding bushing 66 having a peripheral flange 63 at its lower end fits over the stub shaft 60 and is secured to the worm wheel 64 for rotation therewith by means such as a tooth-in-slot connection 71. A cylinder 72 having a .wide peripheral flange 74 at its lower edge fits over the bushing 66 and is keyed or otherwise fixed to the bushing for rotation therewith. A washer disc assembly 76 is mounted on the cylinder 72 for rotation therewith and includes a lower, relatively thick circular disc or plate 78. An upper disc or plate is spaced above the disc 78 a short distance by a washer 82. The disc 80 is thick in its central portion and is relieved near the periphery thereof to provide a thin outer edge 84, this edge'being of substantially the same thickness as a washer 86 exclusive of the neck, skirt or flange 88 thereon as may be seen in Figure 5. The discs 78 and 80 are provided with aligned recesses 90 equally spaced .arcuately. A washer 92 is clamped against the top surface of the disc 80 by a nut 94 threaded on the upperend of the cylinder 72 to clamp the disc assembly 76 in place against the flange 74. Rotation of the disc assembly 76 with the cylinder 72 is insured by a pin 96 fitting through the discs 78 and 8t) and through the washers 82 and 92.

The disc assembly 76 is inclined as indicated in Figure l and a peripheral wall 98 extends upwardly from the housing or casing 56 substantially in contact with the outer edge of the disc assembly 76. The wall 98 is cut down or relieved at 100 adjacent the upper end of the chute 52. The Wall adjacent the bottom edge of the disc extends chordally across the top surface of the disc as at 102 to a position adjacent the top of the chute 52.

An arcuate separator plate 104 (Figures 3-6) extends inwardly from the outer periphery of the disc assembly the side of the housing 56. A pulley wheel 114 on the shaft 110 is secured thereto preferably by means of a spring clutch mechanism 116 to drive the shaft 110 and hence to drive the disc 76. The pulley 114 is driven by a belt 118 passed over a pulley 120 on the output shaft of an electric motor 122 supported by a bracket 124 on the bracket 58.

As noted heretofore the thin outer edge of the upper plate 84 of the disc assembly 76 is of substantially the same thickness as a lock washer 86 exclusive of the skirt or neck 88. Thus lock washers which are piled up as a random mass on the lower portion of the disc assembly 76 against the wall 98, 102 settleinto the recesses 90 and ride along the top of the separator plate 104 either as shown in Figure or in Figure 6. When the washers are correctly oriented with their skirts or flanges 88 upwardly directed as shown in Figure 5 the washers seat firmly in the recesses. When the washers are received in the recesses 90 with the washer flanges downwardly directed as shown in Figure 6, the main portions of the washers are above the thin edge 84 of the plate 80 and the washers tend to fall out of the recesses to slide back down the disc assembly into the random mass of washers. Any washers positioned with their flanges downwardly which are not displaced from the recesses by gravity and vibration of the machine are deflected from the recesses by the tip 126 of a spring finger 128 mounted on the inclined face of the wall 98 by screws 130. The screws fit through vertical slots 132 for adjustment of the finger toward and away from the disc assembly 76 and the screws are threaded into a retaining member 134. The lower edge of the finger tip 126 is recessed at 138 to pass washers with their flanges upwardly directed as shown in Figure 5 and to engage and deflect washers with their flanges downwardly directed as shown in Figure 6.

Just after passing the finger tip 126 the washers pass the trailing end of the separator plate 104 and drop to the bottoms of the recesses 90 in the relatively thick bottom plate 78 to ride on a supporting plate 136 (Figure 7) for assembly with nuts as will be apparent hereinafter.

Twisted tooth lock washers, and particularly such'lock washers having axially directed skirts, necks or flanges such as are handled by the apparatus and method herein disclosed, tend to clump together. To defeat this tendency an agitator 140 (Figures l-4) is provided. The agitator includes a bracket 142 upstanding along the wall 98 and secured to the casing 56 by means such as bolts or screws 144. A pair of arms 146 extends inwardly over the disc 76 and supports a bearing 148 inclined slightly from the perpendicular relative to the disc assembly 76. A shaft 150 is journaled in the bearing 148 and a wheel 152 is threaded on the lower end of the shaft. The lower face of the wheel is relieved near the periphery thereof to provide a substantially conical surface 154. A finger 156 extends downwardly from the conical surface 154 and very nearly contacts the disc 76 when near the outer edge thereof. A pulley wheel 158 is fixed on the upper end of the shaft 150 for rotating the same.

A pulley 160 is mounted for rotation on the stub shaft 60 and is fixed to the bushing 66 for rotation therewith by means such as a tooth-in-slot connection 162. -A collar 164 is pinned to the top of the shaft 60 to maintain the pulley 160, the bushing 66 and the structure including the disc assembly 76 carried thereby, and the worm wheel 64 on the shaft and locked together for rotation. A flexible belt 166 passes around the pulleys 160 and 158 for'driving the latter. It will be apparent that the finger 156 moves up and down in the random mass of washers on the lower portion of the disc assembly the mass from clumping together.

4 The nut supply mechanism The recesses 37 of the ring 42 pick up nut elements 36 as the ring rotates to pass the recesses or grooves 37 successively beneath a random mass of nut elements lying in the lower portion of the hopper 34. Continued rotation of the ring 42 raises the nut elements toward the upper portion of thehopper, the nuts being held in the grooves by an arcuate plate or flange 39 fixed on the stationary central portion of the hopper along the inner edge of the ring 42.

Details on the selection mechanism 43 may be found in my Patent 2,711,550. For purposes of this invention it is sufficient to state that nut elements having their flanges upwardly directed are passed onto the chute or track 38, while those having their flanges downwardly directed are dropped back onto the random mass of nut elements in the hopper 34.

Nuts or nut elements 36 in the nut chute or track 38 leading from the hopper 34 may be maintained in the central recess of the track by a bar or rail 170 (Figure 1) overlying the central recess. A nut releasemechanism 172 including a lever 200 is secured to the lower end of the chute 38 and forms a continuation thereof for releasing 7 nuts one by one into the recesses 90 of the disc when the recesses are occupiedby washers and for preventing release of nuts when no washers are present. Further details on this mechanism may be found in my aforesaid Patent 2,711,550.

The staking mechanism The chute 52 underlies the edge of the disc assembly 76 and extends substantially tangentially therefrom. The

chute 52 includes a central recess 228 (Figures 3 and 4) the recess 228 and also overlies a portion of the disc assembly 76 to insure proper fitting of the washerand nut assemblies in the chute.

The end of the nut chute 52 abuts the supporting plate 136 so that assembled nuts and washers in'the recesses 90 will leave the end of the plate 136 and pass into the chute 52 under the force of gravity;

After leaving the disc assembly 76 aligned and superposed the nut elements'and washers slide down the chute 52 to the staking mechanism 54. The staking mechanism 54 (Figures 1, 2 and 1420) comprises a frame 237 reciprocably mounting an angle-shaped nut slide 300 for properly positioning and subsequently ejecting the nut ele- 30 of the machine for driving the various operating parts of the machine. Further details on the staking mechanism and the operation thereof may be found in my aforesaid Patent 2,711,550."

Although a particular embodiment of this invention has i been shown and described, it will be apparent that various changes can be made without departing from the principles of the invention as expressed inthe following claims.

I claim:

l. Washer feeding apparatuscomprising an inclined" movable feed member havingan inclined surface receiving a supply of washers to be fed and having marginal recesses receiving washers from the inclined surface of the feed member and substantially complementary to such washers, a second movable member spaced below and parallel to said feed member and having marginal.

recesses similar to those in the feed member and in alignment with the recesses of said feed member, means for driving both of said members in unison, and a fixed plate of limited extent positioned between said feed member and said second member for first supporting washers in the recesses of said feed member and then dropping the Washers into the recesses of said second member.

2. Washer feeding apparatus comprising a rotatable feed disc receiving on its surface a supply of washers to be fed and having a relatively thin edge portion having marginal recesses receiving washers from the surface of the feed disc, said surface except for said recesses being substantially uninterrupted, a relatively thick rotatable disc spaced below the feed disc and having marginal recesses in alignment with the recesses of said feed disc, means for driving both of said discs in unison, and a fnted plate of limited extent positioned between said feed disc and said relatively thick disc for first supporting washers in the recesses of said feed disc and then dropping the washers into the recesses of said relatively thick disc upon rotation of said discs.

3. Washer feeding apparatus comprising a movable feed plate receiving on its surface a supply of Washers to be fed and having a relatively thin edge portion having marginal recesses receiving Washers from the surface of the feed plate and substantially complementary to such washers, said surface other than for said recesses being substantially uninterrupted, a relatively thick movable plate spaced below the surface of the feed plate and having marginal recesses similar to those in said feed plates and in alignment with the recesses of said feed plate, means for driving both of said plates in unison, means of limited extent positioned between said feed plate and said relatively thick plate for first supporting washers in the recesses of said feed plate and then dropping the washers into the recesses of said relatively thick plate upon movement of said plates, and a substantially fixed deflector overlying said feed plate and said fixed plate for displacing improperly seated washers from the recesses of said feed plate.

4. Washer feeding apparatus for feeding flanged lock washers, said apparatus comprising an inclined movable feed disc receiving on its surface a supply of flanged washers and having an edge substantially as thick as said Washers exclusive of their flanges, said feed disc having marginal recesses receiving washers from the surface of the feed disc, a relatively thick movable disc parallel to and spaced below said feed plate and having marginal recesses in alignment with the recesses of said feed disc, means for driving both of said discs in unison, a fixed fiat member of limited extent positioned between said feed disc and said second disc for first supporting washers in the recesses of said feed disc and then dropping the washers into the recesses of said second disc upon rotation of said discs, and a substantially fixed deflector overlying said feed disc and said fixed fiat member adjacent a high part thereof, said deflector being shaped substantially complementary to said washers including the flanges thereof for passing properly seated washers and for displacing improperly seated washers to slide down said disc to said supply.

5. Washer feeding apparatus comprising a movable feed plate receiving on its surface a supply of washers to be fed and having marginal recesses receiving washers from the surface of the feed plate, said surface other than for said recesses being substantially uninterrupted, a second shiftable plate spaced below said feed plate and having marginal recesses in alignment with the recesses of said feed plate, means for driving both of said plates in unison, a fixed supporting surface of limited extent positioned between said feed plate and said second plate for first supporting washers in the recesses of said feed plate and then dropping the washers into the recesses of said second plate upon movement of said plates, and an agitator mounted proximate to said feed plate and rotatable in a given direction about an axis forming an angle other than a right angle with the surface of the feed plate for movement in and out of said supply of washers to stir said washers and thereby to keep said washers from clumping together.

6. Apparatus for feeding washers and nut elements comprising a feed conveyor receiving on its surface a supply of washers to be fed and having a plurality of recesses receiving washers from the surface of the feed conveyor, a second conveyor spaced below said feed conveyor and having recesses in alignment with the recesses of said feed conveyor, means for driving said two conveyors in unison, means providing a fixed supporting surface of limited extent positioned between said two conveyors for first supporting washers in the recesses of said feed conveyor and then dropping the washers into the recesses of said second conveyor upon movement of said conveyors, means for supplying nut elements, and means adjacent said second conveyor for feeding nut elements from said supplying means to position nut elements on top of the washers in the recesses of said second conveyor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,237,315 Eby et al Aug. 21, 1917 1,839,450 Swangren Jan. 5, 1932 1,859,101 Lyons May 17, 1932 1,879,156 Forster Sept. 27, 1932 2,033,090 Barker Mar. 3, 1936 2,273,783 Irwin Feb. 17, 1942 2,343,798 Poupitch Mar. 7, 1944 2,466,961 Nachazel Apr. 12, 1949 

